Air fryers are popular for making crispy and light food, but you can also use an air fryer for thawing food. If you plan to use an air fryer for thawing food for the first time, knowing how to do it correctly is essential. So, how do you properly thaw with an air fryer?
In this article, we will show you how to use an air fryer for thawing food. Before that, you should know which types of food can be thawed using this technique.
Which types of food can be thawed with an air fryer?
An air fryer heats up the air inside the food and softens it. As a result, you get soft but crispy food. Unlike deep fryers, air fryers don’t actually fry the food. Instead, they use air circulation around the food to cook them. But due to the size limitation, you can’t thaw any type of food with an air fryer.
Here is a list of frozen food that you can thaw with an air fryer: fried rice, chicken wings, fish sticks, fried fish, french fries, pizza… In summary, you can thaw or fry any pre-cooked or light snacks that are suitable for frying. On the other hand, you should not put frozen foods like raw steak directly into the air fryer for thawing. If you want to cook steak with an air fryer, you have to thaw the meat in the refrigerator or keep it at room temperature for a few hours before using the air fryer to thaw it properly.
Steps for thawing food with an air fryer
An air fryer has multiple functions, and it can be used to thaw frozen food like a microwave. So, if you don’t have a microwave, you can use an air fryer as a substitute.
Follow these simple steps to thaw your frozen food and snacks in an air fryer:
Step 1: Prepare the frozen food for thawing
The first step is really simple. You take the frozen food from the freezer, remove the plastic bag, and put it into the air fryer. But sometimes, it’s better if you let the ice melt for a while outside before putting it into the air fryer to help thaw the food faster and evenly. Extreme frost can form around the food. So, you should leave it in the refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes before putting it into the air fryer. You can also put the food in normal water. It will help separate the frozen food if they stick together.
Step 2: Place the food in the fryer
You should properly place the food or snack on the air fryer tray. Place the french fries, drumsticks, or fried rice, leaving space between the pieces. Don’t overload the air fryer. Place the food directly on the tray of the air fryer and clean the tray afterward. However, you can also place the food on separate heat-resistant plates of the air fryer like porcelain, ceramic, or glass plates. When the food melts, the thawing water will accumulate on the plate. So, you can easily clean the air fryer.
When you thaw and cook food with butter or oil, the air fryer pan will become greasy. Placing this type of light food on a separate tray or plate will help you avoid cleaning it more times.
Step 3: Operate the air fryer
Now, this is the important part of the process of thawing food with an air fryer. You have to set the proper temperature. Choose the lowest temperature of the air fryer for thawing and adjust the temperature as well as the proper time for melting the frozen food.
For example, if you are thawing 500g of fried rice or french fries, you should set the time from 4 to 8 minutes. After 4 to 5 minutes, you should open the air fryer tray to check the condition of the food. If the food has been thawed, take it out and clean the tray. However, if the thawed food is not evenly cooked, you need to set the time for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Check the tenderness of the food with a toothpick.
Tips for thawing with an air fryer
An air fryer is not the most common tool for thawing food, so there can be errors when thawing food with this device. Therefore, to minimize unnecessary risks, you should pay attention to the following tips:
– Make sure to remove the plastic wrap or packaging of the food. Never put food inside the air fryer in a plastic bag, as it can contaminate the food and cause cancer.
– You can use aluminum foil to wrap the food if necessary, but doing it too frequently can be harmful to your health.
– Don’t stack or overcrowd the food in the air fryer tray. Thaw the food in layers to shorten the time.
– When you thaw food, set the temperature to the lowest. Thawing at high temperatures can make your food crispy, making it difficult to cook further.
– If the food is thick, you can flip it. After a few minutes of thawing, open the air fryer tray and flip each piece of food inside, then heat it up again. This way, the food will be properly thawed from the inside.
– You can preheat the air fryer before putting the frozen food inside.
– Don’t put frozen food in a cup, plate, or bowl with water and then put it in the air fryer. Similarly, don’t put frozen food in hot water before putting it in the air fryer. Water can thaw food faster but can also cook the outer layer of the food. So, if you want the food to be fresh after thawing, avoid soaking it in hot water.
– Use separate dishes in the air fryer to thaw food for cleanliness and hygiene.
Source: An Nhiên – Vietnamnet
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